PRESS RELEASE
Unified Government Launches Vision Zero Action Plan
KANSAS CITY, KS - The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas (UG) has launched a process to develop a Vision Zero Action Plan. Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries on our roadways, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility. In partnership with the Cities of Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Lake Quivira, the UG will develop an implementation plan to address safety for people who walk, bike, ride transit, and drive in Wyandotte County.
The Vision Zero Action Plan is funded by a $1 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, announced in 2023 by Representative Sharice Davids. This plan was one of the action items from the countywide GoDotte Mobility Strategy and the PlanKCK Comprehensive Plan.
“With roadway safety being one of our top priorities at the Unified Government, we are focused on how best to reduce transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries across the county," said Mayor Tyrone A. Garner. "Transportation safety is key to my vision of safe and livable neighborhoods; as such, I want to reaffirm my continued commitment to support an organizational culture invested in safety initiatives designed to sustain, enhance, and preserve life.”
The Vision Zero Action Plan will identify the most dangerous intersections and corridors through analyzing the data and crash reports, also known as a High Injury Network. This will help prioritize areas of greatest concern such as roadway redesign and future capital improvements, community education, and policy recommendations. It is also a requirement of the federal government for future funding to redesign and rebuild dangerous roadways identified through the plan.
"We know from other cities that the data often reveals a disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable road users: seniors, children, and others dependent on our transit system," said Director of Planning & Urban Design Gunnar Hand. "A Vision Zero Action Plan is a comprehensive approach to find solutions to improve safety for all road users across the county."
Vision Zero was first adopted in Sweden in 1997 to support safer mobility resulting in zero traffic fatalities. The UG has contracted Kimley-Horn to analyze crash data and develop the recommendations. The community can learn more about this process by subscribing to email updates.
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